A woman has claimed that her former lover wants her dead. According to reports, after she dumped her boyfriend of seven years a month ago, she found a new boyfriend and moved on with her life. But her ex-boyfriend could not handle being dumped.

Selina Mbendani (53) from Onderstepoort, north of Tshwane, South Africa claimed her ex set her place on fire.

She said she broke up with him because he was a thug – but on Monday he returned and asked her to let him back into her life, warning her that he would kill her if she did not.

“I took the threat lightly,” she said.

Later that same day, however, Selina and the other tenants were woken up by clouds of smoke.“The whole house was on fire. We all managed to escape unharmed.”

The house tenants tried to put out the fire but did not have enough water to slow the overpowering blaze.

“We could do nothing but look at all our belongings burning to ashes.”

Selina said her neighbours saw a man throwing a petrol bomb. “I know it was him, because he threatened me with his own mouth. “He said he was going to burn me in this house. I lost everything. I feel devastated and hopeless. I feel like killing myself,” she said.